Best Yard Sale Find Ever and amazing Hutch Redo

As I head into yard sale season, all the creative juices in my body are starting to flow.

I can barely contain myself with the wonder and excitement of the trash to treasures that I am about to behold.
Since this will be my first full yard sale season with you all, I can’t wait to take you on this journey.
If you aren’t a colossal convert yet, consequently, that will be one of my goals….so just concede.
(oh, I love alliteration)
But I must confess, I have a few projects from last year that must get done before the new excitement begins…especially getting rid of my “trash” to make room for their “treasures”.

Boldly barricaded behind our storage shed is one of my yard sale steals, I mean, treasures from last year.

I was immediately drawn to it, but since it hadn’t been snatched up yet, and it was already 10am (certainly a tell tale death hour for avid yard salers), I assumed it was priced out of my “antique” range.

I loved the lines of the piece, but it was these letter slots that mesmerized me.
I envisioned the careful details that someone had put in back in the 1920’s, and all the heirloom handwritten notes that were meticulously crafted while sitting at this very seat.
But then I envisioned all the work that I would have to put in, and I just wasn’t so sure about my commitment level. Do you know how many unfinished projects I have from this past yard sale season? When I finally complete them, I’ll have blog fodder for one straight year.Literally, I stood in this woman’s drive way for 20 minutes brainstorming what I could do with this hutch. I decided a great coat of black paint would make it a perfect fit for my foyer wall, but I still hadn’t asked the price.
The tag said, “Make offer.”
Typically, in yard sale terms, that means they want more than its worth.
Oh, but I could just imagine gorgeous knobs….so I was ready to negotiate.

Having seen my fair share of international bargaining, I can handle some US yard sales, but I also want to be fair, and respectful. If you’re one of those that offer a quarter on a $.50 item – stop it!
Now, if it’s $10, you bet I’ll offer $5…just a little tip from the pro.
So, on this day, I was treading lightly.
I sweetly stated, “Oh, I am terrible at making offers.”
Which is true, since I always want them to basically give it to me, but on with the bargaining.
“When you say make offer, do you mean like make a $5 offer or……….”
She cut me off before I could finish my statement. I was going to say $5 or $500, so that I didn’t step on toes and I could get a starting point.
She cut me off, and said, “It’s yours for $5….I just want it gone.”FIVE DOLLARS, PEOPLE!!!
Feel free to gaze and gawk in frugal fabulitiousness.
I know, I still can’t believe it, and just check out the fretwork – you gotta love it.Now that your $5 dropped jaw is back up, you may want to sit down for this make-over.
This is by far the most beautiful re-do ever, I can barely stand it.

Can you imagine how absolutely tickled I was when I came across a new blog from an infamous designer – Eddie Ross? I got lost on his site.
He found “my” hutch and look what he did. Isn’t it breathtaking? It’s almost the exact same secretary (yep, found out it’s called a “secretary” by those designer types), and I started screaming. My kids should be use to that by now, especially if I’m in front of the computer. 🙂

Here’s what Eddie said he did…so I think I can too, don’t you?

“As you can see, I started by sanding it down with a fine sand paper, just to scuff up the surface and give the paint something to adhere to. For the primer, I used a shellac-based product called Zinsser. I love it because it dries super fast. And it prevents any dye from seeping through the top coat. Check out the final result!

For the paint color, I chose one of my favorites: Farrow & Ball’s All White. I use it on everything. The mirror I had cut to size for $20. The easiest way is to take the original glass with you. That way, you’ll always get a perfect fit. With the shelves now hidden behind mirror, I could make all the mess I want, and it would still look just as pretty! Fold down the desk, and I have plenty of storage, plus the perfect surface for writing letters or working on my laptop.”

“As a collector, one thing I’ve learned over the years is to be fearless. Just because something’s antique doesn’t mean it’s precious. Don’t be afraid to alter a piece to make it your own. Strip it. Sand it. Recover it in fabric you adore. Like I said, all wood is not created equal. If a chair’s lines are good but you’re not in love with the finish, paint it another color and you’ll probably be much happier with the result. ”
Thank you, Eddie!! Go check out his blog – he is amazing, and full of such unbelievable ideas.

I called my husband down for this. He was insisting that we refinish it since it might be “valuable.” I had already bought the black paint and was ready to go, but he REALLY wanted it to stay with the original finish.
After hours of trying to strip it, and getting incredibly frustrated, I politely and submissively called him, and said, “right now, the value is $5, and it’s not worth $500 to me to try and strip it.”
When I read Eddie’s comments, I was thankful for the permission to paint it, and my hubby, as always, graciously agreed. 🙂

So, should I go white or black. The white is amazing, isn’t it?
And against my apple green walls…ohhh, that’s tempting?

I’m sharing this at The Nester’s Favorite yard sale find because this is definitely one of them.

Other posts you might enjoy

126 Comments

Treasure Hunter
on March 6, 2009 at 9:44 pm

We have SO got to yard sale together. You are a girl after my own heart. My husband USED to say “no” to everything (too much work and he had no vision). Now that he has seen me work trash to treasure he’s up for the challenges. He even grins when we pass a heap of trash and I break my neck to see if anything jumps out at me! Bring on the projects baby!

wow that is an amazing find! i love the secretary! hmm, i really like it white, but depending on what else you have in the area you will be putting it in, the black might look better! only you know, lol!

I just did one in black- similar condition…but it is not a secretary- no fold down desk- and I used black because I had black accents in my living room…I think I like the white for the desk….$5- HELL YEAH!

And there are lots of great apple green and white fabrics out there this Spring- either way wouldbe good.

AAAHHHH!! Five!Dollars! Holy Moly!Can you hear me all the way from MS?Oh boy, what a tremendous deal you got. I am partial to white, so I would say go for it and do a white or cream. But the black would look so rich. Hmm…be sure and keep us posted! :o)Have a super weekend!Sincerely ~ Tricia AnnePs. I broke out my spray paint yesterday. Yippee! :o)

May is just around the corner,,and that is when I will be getting up each and EVERY Saturday, head off to my neighbors at 6:45 a.m. and hit every single garage sale, yard sale till 12..!! Yahooooooooooooo..oh my,,we are SO professionals (we have become quite good at finding treasures). My house is pretty much all yard sale finds..That secretrarial is AMAZING!! ya,,I would be screaming over 5 dollars too. WOW…I will be sharing pics once I start to share all my treasures. Can’t wait to see all yours…

What a beautiful piece you found. I think black OR cream would be beautiful, but if you’re thinking of putting with the apple green walls….I’d definitely go with the cream. Can’t wait to see the final product.

I couldn’t believe my eyes … we have the EXACT same secretary! We inherited it from my husband’s grandparents. Can you believe it?! I really want to paint it, but I think that his parents might have a heart attack. Fortunately, we got it in prime condition, so it still looks beautiful.

I’m having a linky party about paint transformations and this one totally fits the bill!Please come join the fun.

love that! My mom has that same secretary and I’m not even allowed to breathe on it for $5!! I was totally with you on the black, but once I saw the white I thought it looked so much better. Either way, you can’t go wrong! Wish I had one! (other than the one that I will someday inherit but, as I have been reminded, am not allowed to touch until then)

Oh My Gosh you got the deal of a lifetime!!! I LOVE it!! I hope I can find something like that tomorrow when I’m out garage saleing!!!! It would be stunning white or black or even cream!! It would be so great with crystal knobs! Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!!!! Congrats on your purchase!!!!!!

OH.MY.GOODNESS. I think my jaw is permanently attached to the floor. What a STEAL! And Eddie’s makeover is absolutely divine. I would go with the white, especially set against those luscious apple green walls! Cannot wait to see it finished! I too am bubbling over with excitement and anticipation for the yard sale season. Oh how I wish we could be yard sale buddies! I cannot convince anyone to go with me. It’s always more fun with a friend.

Wow, what a deal! And it’s going to be gorgeous in whichever color you choose! I’m wondering if most men – if it’s just in their nature to be against painting wood! (And if it’s oak that’s even worse!) Ha! I’ve done it anyway and it made such a difference! Will love to see the finished piece, and the work in progress.

Just stopping by from SITS and have to say, I’m so thrilled you were the comment in front of my or I might not have stumbled onto your gem of a site! Love that you’re attempting to live with “intentionality” and hope you don’t mind if I borrow that word for my own life. I’ve been telling people that since my kids came along, I’m living accidentally, and that I want to parent with purpose and intention. Your header finally gave me a one-word description for what I’ve been trying to say. Okay, sorry for the tangent. Just want to say, love it here at “Balancing” – great voice and pleasant-to-read style. Oh, and if I could vote, I’d choose white for the ‘secretary’!

I’ve been following your blog for several weeks and LOVE it!! The “Sour Cream Banana Cake” was delicious!! Anyway, I just had to comment on the “secretary”. What a deal! I saw someone else asked but how long will this project take? Do you use both spray primer and paint? Any spray painting tips? Thank you for the inspiration!

Oh, girl! You got such a STEAL on that pice & you know how much I love a bargain like that. I knew you had found a secretary, but had no idea you stole it for $5!!!! WOW, double WOW! And you know I love me some Eddie and I just love Eddie's secretary too done in white with the mirrors, so I think you should do the exact same thing. It would look fab on your green walls. Do it!!

As a serious furniture painter (see today’s post) I say white, white white! Refinished furniture is wonderful but painted furniture is so charming. This is a GREAT piece – I love the curve of the drawers. What find to find the perfect hardware too!

I OFFICIALLY HATE YOU…WHAT??? FIVE MEASLY DOLLARS!!! You are the EMPRESS of yard sales! That has to be the best deal EVER! I’d go white with it…I think you’ll lose all that gorgeous detail if you paint it black. I am SO jealous of this amazing bargain!

Oh, wow, what a fabulous piece. I never find such great buys! I need to go with you.LOL

Thank you for commenting on my garden. We hope to put up a ton of food in these most uncertain times. We are truly worried about what the next few years entail. I do hope to do several posts on gardening, canning, and freezing our bounty.

Jen jen jen ohhhhhhhhhh Jen jen jen! I thought I was a garage sale maven………..I tip my hat to you. THAT is the score of a life time. I have always wanted one of those like that. I say…white….especially against your walls. OHHHH jen jen…I just can’t get overit. wow. cherry

I saw the pictures on TCB and knew it was Eddie’s secretary-LOVE IT! I cannot believe the bargain you got! And I’m so glad YOU know the bargain you got! What were the sellers thinking? Anyway, congrats! Can’t wait to see your finished re-do!-kristen

You approached this beauty of a desk very gracefully (as so not to offend the seller) – isn’t it amazing what people will get rid of! I would go with black on the color b/c I have so many little fingers that would be all over it-if it were mine:). It also depends what kind of accents that would be going INSIDE the hutch. If you paint it black and have some white pieces for the inside decor, they would REALLY POP…I stopped at a few sales yesterday and found 4 heavy Kirklands picks with a tag of $39.95 each and I paid .75 for each – still can’t come close to the $5 though. Great vision!

How lucky are you??? I LOVE this!! Love, Love, Love it! I can’t wait to see it finished! I have apple green walls in my kitchen and black just pops against it! I just painted the trim on my island black (it was white) and it made a huge difference! (I am going to post the before and afters on my blog tonight) whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with this beauty!

From one yard sale hunter to another……what a steal. Congratulations! On the debate to go white or black. Which color do you tend to use a lot of. If it’s white, black would be a nice change of pace and add accent. Another thing to think if the style and age…I think it would stunning in black, but not just black, the Ebony black used on furniture dating from the early 1900’s, late 1800’s. The ebony is rich…think the beautiful ebony color on grand pianos. I have my grandparents buffet and it’s still original in ebony.

I stumbled across you blog via…oh Gosh…I don’t remember the route that landed me here. No matter. I’m thrilled to have found a girl after my own heart and am so looking forward to spending some time perusing your past postings 🙂 This is a first: the transformation of the secretary gave me goosebumps. It’s absolutely stunning. Job (beyond) well done and kudos to you for seeing the hidden potential behind, what might have been, a seemingly daunting project!~Kimberly~

Love it! What a bargain! I can’t believe she took $5.00! I can’t wait to see it when your done. It looks like you’re doing a professional job by taking it all apart. I have a hard time being that patient. I don’t like to sand!~Kim

What what a treasure! You have vision girl! I love the white myself, but I think black is awesome too. I have a similar secretary that my mother left me and my husband won’t let me touch it with paint, but I understand the yearning.

I have the same piece of furniture, well, almost! I have the lower half. This was a desk that my grandmother had and we think that someone in the family made. I wonder if it ever had a top piece. Perhaps someone just wanted the desk part. It has been painted a few times and I had it stripped. Although I do like the way it looks white. Hmmm…maybe someday it will have paint on it again. I love the cubbies and the shaped drawers. It looks good tucked into a corner of our dining room. Here is a before picture and an, after picture .I just started getting into yard sales last year. We got some old fashioned beach chairs for $2 (perfect for our classic station wagon) and a hedge trimmer for $1,a vinegar decanter for $2 and a brand new rolodex for $2. Amazing and fun!

This has to be one of the most amazing yard sale finds of all time!!!!! I think it is beautiful. I found a secretary on someone’s porch for sale and thought it was a steal at $40. Your $5 beats mine by a mile! lol I am so glad you posted these pictures. I’ve been debating what to do with mine as it is currently stained red and I have grown tired of it. Now seeing that gorgeous white piece, I know exactly what to do. White it is for me! I can’t wait to see what you choose for yours!!! I’m thinking I’ll do the inside of mine a different color, maybe blue for me.~Michelle

No one would eat until that was painted if it was at my house! I absolutely love it. It is so beautiful. I could not get over the white photo. I have green walls in my bath and a black vanity and it looks great together so that would look good, too – just goes from cottagy to more traditional looking. Either way, I am so jealous.

That is one of the best deals I have ever heard of from a garage sale! Way to go. Gee, would look pretty either color but I think I vote for the white.You have a beautiful family too by the way!Linda Q

I found this post on someone else’s website and wanted to share about your secretary. My mom has the EXACT SAME ONE. I grew up with it in my house. It is in fabulous condition and has always had a special place in our house. One day it will be mine.Good luck on making it yours. It will be beautiful.

I went to my first yardsale/thrifting event over the weekend. I found some wonderful items and great deals, but nothing that compares to $5 for a secretary desk. I am officially jealous. If it were mine I would paint it white, just like Eddie’s

Well, sister friend, i have seen some good deals in my lifetime…even had a few good deals myself but THIS….my gosh o’mighty…what a STEAL. She the same as PAID YOU to take it away.IT IS BEAUTIFUL…I love it. Black or white, it is going to be breataking. Can’t wait to see it all finished…

That has got to be the steal of the century! Kudos to you! I would paint it the color you like best. Think outside the box. You don’t even have to go black or white. Some of the greatest pieces Ive seen painted are wonderful colors that you wouldn’t expect. Eddie’s looks snazzy, though.

I’m with you on the yard sales, garage sales and any other sale that means people are getting rid of their stuff. I have a confession to make. I purchased a secretary very much like yours and even asked my friends dh to get his truck and bring it home for me. I was younger and raising five kids that meant my life was ‘bedlem’ at the time. It sat in my garage for several years and I kept thinking I would fix it up somehow. No one painted wood back then and I was scared to start a refinish job. The end of this story is sad and I have regretted it forever. My dh was transferred to another city, we were packing to move and the secretary was given to the first taker who saw it in the yard waiting to be packed. sigh, I just might tear up now. Now finish your secretary and which ever color you decide on will be perfect for your lovely green walls. JDI Just do it!!

Oh my gosh!!! I adore yard sales, and have gotten some amazing deals – but holy cow – that’s phenomenal!!Congratulations! Wow – If I wasn’t already itching to go yard saling….I’m even more so now!!I think either color would be great (I looove Eddie’s final result!) I think of white as being more shabby chic/country, and black going with more modern/sleek design — so it may depend on what else you have in your home. I do like the white/apple green together too.I just stunbled on your blog looking at yard sale funzies and I think we would be friends 😉I likewise love alliteration, lol. I’m going to add you to my subscriptions if you don’t mind!Thanks for great encouragement to hang in there the the sales!(sorry for the “book”!)

Truly this is such a steal of a deal and fabulous find! It is a beautiful piece of furniture.

Our sons once paid only 5.00 dollars for a pool table they had wanted 400.00 for at the beginning of the day and later that night they just wanted it gone and they got it for 5 bucks. They were so thrilled!I hope you think outside the box with the color and make it a piece of furniture which brings you joy for a long time!

Good luck, it is a gorgeous piece of furniture! Have fun and good luck!

Beth♥♥♥Sorry about the deletes! I had to delete my comments when I saw I wrote my sons had paid five daughters instead of 5 dollars for the pool table!!!! 🙂

Jen, I am nearly on the floor with disbelief. Five dollars for an antique secretary? That is unbelievable. And I LOVE the way Eddie Ross transformed his secretary. I would vote for the white paint, but you know I am such a pastel girlie girl. I would say you can’t go wrong either way, so I just can’t wait to see your finished piece! And let me reiterate, I am sitting here in stunned amazement that you will have a beautifl antique in your home, purchased and completely refurbished for under $10. You are the queen!

This is my first time visiting your blog, but I just had to comment on your secretary b/c I have the exact same one. I, like another poster who commented above, inherited it (from my Grandmother – or technically my parents did). I was about 11 yrs old and as we were cleaning out her house, I remember asking if I could have it for my own house one day. It was the letter slots, just like you said – and the “hidden” drawers in between the slots that I just loved, even then.

I am so happy someone found that piece who will appreciate it like you! I’m sure what ever you choose will be gorgeous! Have fun!

I just found your blog through HoH and since I just bought a used corner hutch last weekend,(not even close to the bargain you got) I was anxious to see you transformation. It’s a great find and I look forward to the results. I was a little conflicted about painting my hutch as well but now I feel much better about my decision. Who knows when I’ll find time to do it? That’s a good question. Take care.

I would say you have purchased the deal of the century. I say go for the black. I love black and green together. White would look awesome too. I’m so happy to have yardsale season upon us. Hoping to find some good deals myself. I need to add to my collection of unfinished projects in the basement.

OMG! My parents have one almost exactly like that which was handed down by my grandparent….I always thot it would look so much better painted but my mother freaks out every time i say the word ‘paint!’ Maybe I should show her this pic it just might change her mind! I absolutely adore it!!! Im thinking of where i’d put it in my house if i had something that darling. 🙂 BTW, my kitchen in almost the same color….LOVE IT!! Im starting to go nuts with all the white things i can put up in there….! 🙂

gorgeous! what a fantastic find, especially for 5 bucks. why don’t i ever come across something like that, lol. i am glad you are going to paint it…and either color would pop against the green wall. i love the way you told this story, too, i was really hooked! popping in from the nesters party.

My friend, I clicked on this from the Nester’s site and my envy meter went sky high (then quickly came back down to rejoicing with you) when I found out that this piece was in town and available for as little as $5. Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! Deal of the century! Congrats!

I love the white, but if it would look better in black in the space you’re filling, just go for it.